P-51 B Hasegawa 1/72, 325 FG, Operation Frantic-1

Operation frantic was shuttle missions from UK, and Italy to bases located in occupated by USSR Ukraine. After long discussions among US high-ranking commanders with Minister Molotov and Stalin, consent was given to USAAF bases in Ukraine. One of them, indirectly the heroine of this story, was the former Soviet and then German air base in Poltava. The entire airport complex, consisting of three airfields (Poltava was the biggest one) and social facilities, could accommodate approximately 1,200 American soldiers. Of course, despite the permission of the USSR authorities for the presence of American soldiers in Ukraine, they did everything to make their lives miserable and reduce their contribution to the air engagement on the Eastern Front. About 30 percent of the personnel assigned to work in Poltava were NKVD agents. Starting with officers and ending with women working in the kitchen. Despite everything, the Americans on their first mission were very warmly welcomed by Soviet soldiers. The meeting of Americans on the land of the world's first state of peasants and workers, which was supposed to be prosperous, was a shock for the newcomers from across the sea. The standard of living in the USSR was worse even than in the poorest province in the USA. The sanitary and medical level and medical care of local people and soldiers was determined by the Chief American Medic at the base as at the beginning of the 20th century and not at the end of the 1940s. There was a shortage of basic products such as soap. The latrines were so terrible that the Americans had to build their own. Some American crews did not want to eat meals in the local canteen due to lack of hygiene rules. Either way, the first mission was hailed as a great military and propaganda success, and General Carl Spaatz himself arrived aboard one of the B-17s of the 15th AF and was greeted with flowers by Soviet generals. Everything promised a success of further cooperation, but everything was about to change soon, but I will tell you about it in the next episode...

The P-51 B model is an old Hasegawa kit from 1993 enriched with a PE Eduard kit also from 1993. The model assembled very well and was a real relaxation after the Arma Hobby kit, which had its shortcomings. Unfortunately, no manufacturer has provided masks for the Hasegawa set, so we have to make them ourselves. I decided to use the HADmodels decal kit and do a 325 FG Mustang livery with a beautifully painted checkered tail. The chessboard came from a set of special decals from Kits-word. As usual, the model is painted with Mr Color paints, which I like best. Even though the model is old, it is worth recommending to anyone if you can find it at a good price. Lieutenant Fox will return with another project soon.

43 additional images. Click to enlarge.